Hoosier Ham and Cheese Biscuits

 

Ingredients

· 3/4 cup finely chopped smoked ham or prosciutto

· 3/4 cup finely grated Cheddar or Asiago cheese

· 2 cups self-rising flour

· 1 teaspoon dry mustard

· 2/3 cup milk

· 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

 

Steps

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, stir together the ham, cheese, flour, mustard, and milk until you have a soft dough.

2) Pour half of the melted butter into the bottom of a 1-by-9-inch baking pan; set aside. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll out or pat into a 10-by-6-inch rectangle. Using a serrated knife or a pizza wheel, cut the rectangle of dough lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into 3-by-3/4-inch strips.

3) Place the strips into the prepared pan. Drizzle the dough with the remaining melted butter.

4) Bake for 15 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen and browned. Serve hot.

 

From: Prairie Home breads: 150 Splendid Recipes from America’s Breadbasket

By: Judith M. Fertig

 

Alicia's Staff Pick

Alicia, BPL’s Children's Room Assistant, chose the title, Science You Can Eat! By Stefan Gates as her staff recommendation. She said, "Science You Can Eat is my family's favorite. It is filled with fun recipes that not only the kids enjoy partaking in, but I enjoy because I can make learning more fun and exciting for all the ages in my household. It's easy to forget that cooking is SCIENCE and basically experimenting. Now my kids can see how science affects our lives in real, everyday situations. It doesn't hurt that the recipes are pretty yummy too!" This book has more than 20 experiments that will help answer any food-related questions your child might have. If you’re interested in this title, it can be found under the call number “J 641.3 Gat” in the children’s department, or on our OverDrive digital resource. If your family loves this book as much as we do, Gates has a very similar book titled, Incredible Edibles with even more experiments surrounding food. He also writes scientific books about animals, numbers, elements, and the world for all the young curious minds out there. Keep an eye out for Science You Can Eat and other titles by Gates to keep the young ones in your home healthy, happy, and learning.

Thai-Style Noodles

 

Ingredients

· 1 (8-oz.) package wide lo-mein noodles

· 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

· 2 tsp. loosely packed lime zest

· 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

· 1 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce

· 1 tsp. Asian Sriracha hot chili sauce

· 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts

· 1/4 cup sliced green onions

· 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

 

Steps

1) Prepare noodles according to package directions

2) Meanwhile, whisk together brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, and chili sauce in a large bowl. Stir in peanuts, green onions, and cilantro. Toss peanut sauce with lo-mein noodles. Serve immediately.

 

From: Pasta Night: 101 Flavor-Packed Weeknight Dishes From Noodle Bowls to Cheesy Casseroles Plus Salads, Soups, & Sides!

Oxmoor House Publishing

 

National Homemade Bread Day

  Nothing compares to walking into a building that smells of freshly baked bread, especially on a cool fall day. This year, National Homemade Bread Day falls on November 17th, which is the perfect excuse to fill your home with those warm, cozy scents, and fill your belly with fluffy, buttery goodness. There’s dozens of ways to celebrate this yummy day! Muffins, rolls, loafs, cakes, toast, and more; share with a friend, or keep them all to yourself – we won’t judge! BPL has bread books galore, you’re sure to find the perfect recipe to help curve your carb cravings. There’s so many delicious titles to choose from, but we recommend:

• The Bread Bible By Rose Levy Beranbaum

• Amy's Bread By Amy Scherber

• The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook: Artisanal Baking From Around the World By Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez

• The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast: Breads, Pancakes, Waffles, Cinnamon Rolls & Muffins By Caleb Warnock

• The Best Quick Breads: 150 Recipes for Muffins, Scones, Shortcakes, Gingerbreads, Cornbreads, Coffeecakes, and More By Beth Hensperger

If you don’t see something here that sparks your interest, the 641 section of BPL’s nonfiction has dozens more! We’d love to hear about how you celebrated National Homemade Bread Day and what recipes were fan favorites in your home.

Up to No Gouda

 

Ingredients

· 1 tablespoon olive oil

· 1 garlic clove, finely sliced

· 100 g/4 oz. cooked Brussels sprouts, shredded

· 1/4 lemon

· 2 slices sourdough

· 1 tablespoon butter

· 1 tablespoon bacon jam

· 3 heaped tablespoons grated smoked Gouda

· Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Steps

1) Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the oil and garlic and fry until just beginning to brown, then pile in the shredded sprouts and season to taste. Sauté for 4-6 minutes until crisp and browned, then add a little squeeze of lemon juice.

2) Spread both slices of bread with butter and turn them over. Spread one slice with the bacon jam, pile on the sautéed sprouts and then the cheese. Season and top with the second slice of bread, butter side up.

3) Heat a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the sandwich for 5-6 minutes each side until it is beautifully golden and the cheese has melted.

 

From: The Grilled Cheese Sandwich: 60 Unbrielievably Delicious Recipes

 

Lightened - Up Sweet Potato Gratin

 

Ingredients

· Vegetable oil, for the baking dish

· 1 cup low-fat milk

· 1/2 cup half-and-half

· 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

· 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

· 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 2 tablespoons dried

· 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

· Salt and freshly ground black pepper

· 3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese

· 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

· 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly, like a sweet potato chip

· 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

 

Steps

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 4-quart glass lasagna-style baking dish with vegetable oil.

2) In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, half-and-half, flour, butter, thyme, and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat, allowing the milk mixture to thicken lightly, like a looser roux.

3) In a medium bowl, mix the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses.

4) Arrange the potatoes in tight, thin layers in the prepared baking dish, pouring a bit of cream mixture over each layer and sprinkling a couple of tablespoons of cheeses on top. Aim for five or six layers and reserve some of the cheese to top the last layer.

5) Top the reserved cheese, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the cover and bake until the top browns and a knife inserted into the potatoes comes out easily, 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve.

 

From: At Home with Natalie: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living From My Family's Kitchen to yours

By: Natalie Morales

 

Apple, Brie, and Prosciutto Crepes

Ingredients

· 1 recipe Basic Crepe Batter (page 104)

· 1 1//2 cups apple butter

· 1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto

· 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

· Extra-virgin olive oil

· 10 ounces Brie cheese, sliced, at room temperature

· 1 bunch watercress, thick stems discarded

· 1/2 bunch fresh chives, cut in 1-inch pieces

· Freshly ground black pepper

 

Steps

1) Make the crepes as indicated in the basic recipe. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2) Lay the crepes on a flat surface. Smear the crepes with the apple butter, about 2 tablespoons each. Lay 3 slices of prosciutto in a single layer across the crepes and then add some apple slices. Drizzle a cookie sheet wit a little oil and lay 2 crepes side by side on the pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until crisp like a thin pizza. Take the crepes out of the oven and lay a few slices of the Brie on top so it melts slightly. Add a handful of watercress, some chopped chive, and several turns of freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with some olive oil before serving.

 

From: Tyler Florence’s real Kitchen: An indispensable guide for anybody for likes to cook